The Bureau of Land Management’s presentation on KMZU radio last week on oil and gas leasing did not address the major concerns of Moab’s citizens.

The BLM mentioned stipulations can be applied to oil and gas leases that protect wildlife, aquifers and other critical areas of concern. They did not mention that many of the protective stipulations can be easily waived by local BLM personnel.

The BLM did not address the concerns about oil and gas drilling having a possible detrimental effect on local wells and culinary water aquifers. Drilling for oil and gas near the Manti La Sal Mountains can endanger all private wells and municipal water systems located downhill from the oil and gas leases. One bad casing on a well could destroy our only drinking water source. Drilling in our area is mostly done by small companies that may have an incentive to save money and cut corners.

The BLM did not address the concerns about oil and gas leasing next to our national parks.

Our economy is tourist based. People do not come to Moab to see pumping wells, storage tanks, open ponds, roads cutting across the open areas, above-ground pipes, and to listen to the rumble of machinery or watch the continual movement of waste water trucks on our highways and back roads. All of the above can be experienced in Vernal, Utah. There is no reason to come to Moab to see an oil and gas field.

Canyonlands National Park is at near or above the allowed ozone limits of the Environmental Protection Agency. The BLM needed to address the concerns that additional drilling would increase air pollution and endanger the health of Moab citizens.

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